The present invention relates generally to basketball goal hoop and mounting structure and, more specifically, to a movable basketball goal hoop mounting structures.
The slam dunk has created much concern in the basketball game since it results too frequently in the shattering of glass backboards. This is not only dangerous but interrupts the game and requires time to replace the glass backboard and mount thereon the rim. One solution of the problem is to not mount the hoop structure directly to the backboard and, thus, relieves the problems at the interface. A typical example is U.S. Pat. No. 4,285,518 to Pearo wherein the basketball goal is mounted to the steel mounting bracket of the glass board through an opening in the glass backboard.
Another solution to the problem is to provide a mounting assembly for the goal structure which is pivotally connected to the backboard such that it will deflect upon receiving load of the slam dunk. A typical example of such a pivotal connection is illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,111,420 and 4,194,734 to Tyner. Similarly, a basketball practicing device without a backboard which is to be used in the practice of dunk shots is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,151,989 to Dittrich. These types of systems are known as "movable basket rings" and are being considered by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The following specification has been approved for the NCAA for movable basket rims:
1. Have pressure release mechanism with positive lock characteristics which shall assure stability and adherence of the basket ring to the backboard.
2. The pressure release mechanism must not disengage until a static load of 230 pounds has been applied to the top of the ring at the most distant point from the backboard. The pressure release mechanism must be preset and sealed by the manufacturer at the required static load setting.
3. The moveble ring shall have identical re-bound characteristics as a non-movable ring.
4. When released, the ring shall not rotate in excess of 30.degree. below the original horizontal position.
5. After being released and the load is no longer applied, the ring shall automatically and instantaneously return to the original locked position.
The Tyner devices will not meet the specification in that they do not have a positive lock that will not disengage until a static load of 230 pounds is applied.
A movable basketball ring being sold by Slam-Dunk Incorporated is a modification of the Tyner system with a positive lock at the upper edge. The lock includes a pair of opposed spring loaded detents resting in the indenture of a post extending from the backboard. The detents are adjacent the juncture of the L-shaped hoop structure which pivots from the bottom as in Tyner. The problem with this board as well as with Tyner is that upon the force produced by the return spring must be sufficiently strong to overcome the biasing of the detent springs. This force causes the vertical part of the L-shaped member to slam hard against the backboard which is undesirable since it may cause fatique in the glass backboard. Similarly, the pivotable motion of the hoop is limited by the return spring bottoming out. This stopping by bottoming out instead of by deceleration causes the momentum produced to bend the rim and create stress at the point that the rod, upon which the spring travels, is connected to the backboard or mounting structure.
Another movable basket ring is sold by Toss Back Incorporated. This system includes a hoop structure pivotally mounted at a point displaced from the backboard and includes a vertical member extending down and received between a pair of jaws as a locking means and a second vertical member about which the return spring is wrapped. Although removing the problem of stopping the return of the hoop to the horizontal position at a point other than the backboard, it still does not provide a deceleration of the motion of the hoop downward and uses a bottoming out of the return spring to limit the vertical motion as in the Slam Dunk device, the Toss Back device requires that the return spring produce sufficient velocity that the first vertical member is driven into the lock position and overcoming the spring tension of the lock.